--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People’s experiences of the Holy are…" description: "\"“People’s experiences of the Holy are filtered through and expressed within the confines of their existing language and culture.”\" — John Cullinan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/john-cullinan-45274_holy_people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-fil_2921686.jpg" --- # People’s experiences of the Holy are filtered through and… ![“People’s experiences of the Holy are filtered through and expressed within the confines of their existing language and culture.” quote by John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/john-cullinan-45274_holy_people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-fil_2921686.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/john-cullinan-45274_holy_people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-fil_2921686.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/john-cullinan-45274_holy_people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-fil_2921686.jpg) > ““People’s experiences of the Holy are filtered through and expressed within the confines of their existing language and culture.”” [John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual experiences are interpreted through existing cultural and linguistic frameworks. **In simple terms:** Holy experiences are filtered by language. Key Takeaway Acknowledge cultural lenses. Themes religion language culture Mood analytical reflective Type academic spiritual When to use this quote - interfaith dialogue - missionary work - personal spirituality Key Concepts anthropology theology Questions to Reflect On - How does your language shape belief? - Can sacred meaning transcend culture? A Different Perspective May limit universal understanding. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Language culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language-culture/) ## Related quotes > [“The deeper he penetrates into this inner being, the more will he feel inclined to keep the development quite secret. It is becoming too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-brunton/the-deeper-he-penetrates-into-this-inner-being-the-more-will-he-feel/) [Paul Brunton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-brunton/) > [The clearest sensation that a human being has when he experiences the holy is an overpowering and overwhelming sense of creatureliness. That is, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-clearest-sensation-that-a-human-being-has-when-he-experiences-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My existence is fuller of other people's experiences than my own. If they cut open my brain, these are what I would retain most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-tang/my-existence-is-fuller-of-other-people-s-experiences-than-my-own-if/) [David Tang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-tang/) > [“People are made of experiences and experience. The first creates the latter. How we react to the experiences is what defines us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fritz-franke/people-are-made-of-experiences-and-experience-the-first-creates-the/) Fritz Franke > [“It always amazes me that once you cut through the clutter, people are pretty much the same. Especially through adolescence and early adulthood. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/it-always-amazes-me-that-once-you-cut-through-the-clutter-people-are/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [I have never seen a ghost. But yes, I believe because I know too many people who have had experiences. When I lived in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsha-thomason/i-have-never-seen-a-ghost-but-yes-i-believe-because-i-know-too-many/) [Marsha Thomason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsha-thomason/) > [“Politics isn’t won by commanding the facts, but by connecting with people’s experiences.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-yiannopoulos/politics-isn-t-won-by-commanding-the-facts-but-by-connecting-with/) [Milo Yiannopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-yiannopoulos/) > [There's a whole world of people out here whose experiences are not being reflected in the media that they're reading. And that does affect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noelle-stevenson/there-s-a-whole-world-of-people-out-here-whose-experiences-are-not/) [Noelle Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noelle-stevenson/) > [We don't believe other people's experiences can tell us all that much about our own. I think this is an illusion of uniqueness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-gilbert/we-don-t-believe-other-people-s-experiences-can-tell-us-all-that-much/) [Daniel Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-gilbert/) > [“Focus group methods by Adam Gottbetter are find their way into and are widely used to examine people's experiences of disease and of health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-gottbetter/focus-group-methods-by-adam-gottbetter-are-find-their-way-into-and/) [Adam Gottbetter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-gottbetter/) > [Practice is personal; no two people's experiences are alike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/practice-is-personal-no-two-people-s-experiences-are-alike/) [Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/) > [“Be patient. Don't force your experiences on others. The moving of spirit is a great mystery, and how or why or when certain people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/be-patient-don-t-force-your-experiences-on-others-the-moving-of/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [I collect people's experiences. I feel that I build myself not only on my experience, but on other people's. That's important to me. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonny-johansson/i-collect-people-s-experiences-i-feel-that-i-build-myself-not-only-on/) Jonny Johansson > [“In a number of workshops, I have asked people whether they have had one or more experiences that they would identify as an experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-j-borg/in-a-number-of-workshops-i-have-asked-people-whether-they-have-had/) [Marcus J. Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-j-borg/) > [I take inspiration from my own experiences and from other people's experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loren-gray/i-take-inspiration-from-my-own-experiences-and-from-other-people-s/) [Loren Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loren-gray/) ## More by John Cullinan > [“Our assignment of worth to others, our unconditional love of even those who would seem most unworthy of it, becomes our response to those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/our-assignment-of-worth-to-others-our-unconditional-love-of-even/) [John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) > [“no matter the acuity of our senses, no matter how educated we are or how good we are or how much conviction we live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/no-matter-the-acuity-of-our-senses-no-matter-how-educated-we-are-or/) [John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) > [“Our forebears envisioned a unified and a unifying faith, and yet somehow we have devolved in some corners of our movement into a metaphysical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/our-forebears-envisioned-a-unified-and-a-unifying-faith-and-yet/) [John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) > [“The purpose of the church is to say “no” to a world that demands divisions among us, asks us to live in fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/the-purpose-of-the-church-is-to-say-no-to-a-world-that-demands/) [John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) > [“More specifically, the Hebrew Bible tells the story of a people who move away from slavery under Pharaoh—a system that requires many people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/more-specifically-the-hebrew-bible-tells-the-story-of-a-people-who/) [John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) > [“The legacy of our Unitarian forebears is calling us back to the real purpose of the church: To walk together in the ways of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/the-legacy-of-our-unitarian-forebears-is-calling-us-back-to-the-real/) [John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) > [“The desire for moments of transcendence and the work of bringing them into our experience—this is the heart of all religion, really. But, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/the-desire-for-moments-of-transcendence-and-the-work-of-bringing-them/) [John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) > [“Yes, we are, all of us, bound together in creation. Yes, we are, all of us, worthy of a place at creation’s table. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/yes-we-are-all-of-us-bound-together-in-creation-yes-we-are-all-of-us/) [John Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) [Explore all 9 John Cullinan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/) ## More Holy quotes > [Clearly, when we baptize, our eyes should gaze beyond the baptismal font to the holy temple. The great garner into which the sheaves should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/clearly-when-we-baptize-our-eyes-should-gaze-beyond-the-baptismal/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [The purpose of a spirit filled life is to demonstrate the supernatural power of our living God so that the unsaved multitudes will abandon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-osborn/the-purpose-of-a-spirit-filled-life-is-to-demonstrate-the/) [T.L. Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-osborn/) > [“Forget about deciding what’s right for each other. Here’s what you need to be concerned about: that you don’t get in the way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/forget-about-deciding-what-s-right-for-each-other-here-s-what-you/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [The more holy, the more humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-more-holy-the-more-humble/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I was overcome by the Holy Ghost one time, but in a Baptist way. I was six or seven, and I was saved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-was-overcome-by-the-holy-ghost-one-time-but-in-a-baptist-way-i-was/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [Grace is the power of the Holy Spirit coming to us free of charge to enable you to do with ease what you could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/grace-is-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-coming-to-us-free-of-charge-to/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [In recent years my understanding of God had evolved into increasingly remote abstractions. I'd come to think of God in terms like Divine Reality,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/in-recent-years-my-understanding-of-god-had-evolved-into-increasingly/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [Jesus' kingdom was not like the popular expectation. He used the phrase 'kingdom of God' with a different meaning. His kingdom was not of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-harpur/jesus-kingdom-was-not-like-the-popular-expectation-he-used-the-phrase/) [Tom Harpur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-harpur/) > [Ideally, when Christians meet, as Christians do, to take counsel together, their purpose is not ( or should not be) to ascertain what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/ideally-when-christians-meet-as-christians-do-to-take-counsel/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [In the quiet moments of your day, what do you think and do? When you are with your Self and no one else, how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/in-the-quiet-moments-of-your-day-what-do-you-think-and-do-when-you/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [“The HOLY of Holiness!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-holy-of-holiness/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Holy living consists in doing God's work with a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/holy-living-consists-in-doing-god-s-work-with-a-smile/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) [Browse all 4,265 Holy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“People’s experiences of the Holy are filtered through and expressed within the confines of their existing language and culture.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Cullinan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-filtered-through-and-expressed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Holy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-filtered-through-and-expressed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/john-cullinan-45274_holy_people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-fil_2921686.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/john-cullinan-45274_holy_people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-fil_2921686.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e1/john-cullinan-45274_holy_people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-fil_2921686.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People’s experiences of the Holy are filtered through and expressed within the confines of their existing…” — John Cullinan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Cullinan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cullinan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“People’s experiences of the Holy are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-filtered-through-and-expressed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cullinan/people-s-experiences-of-the-holy-are-filtered-through-and-expressed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```